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HOLYOKE – Former president Joseph M. McGiverin used to call the City Council’s only meeting of the summer the “mid-summer’s nightmare.”

The agenda for the council meeting Tuesday is 123 items and counting, more than double the usual amount of business councilors face.

The meeting is at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

The council usually meets the first and third Tuesday of the month. But the council takes July off and has only one August meeting, prompting an agenda more than double its normal size.

Four items deal with a needle exchange program and a few are aimed at helping military veterans.

The Board of Health and mayor established a needle exchange program July 9, but opposition arose in various forms. For example, an order on the Tuesday agenda from council President Kevin A. Jourdain and councilors Todd A. McGee, James M. Leahy and Linda L. Vacon asks the Law Department to issue a cease and desist order to halt the needle exchange program and attend a council meeting to discuss the issue.

In needle exchange, people submit used intravenous-drug needles and get clean needles in return. The goal is to reduce the spread of AIDS and hepatitis C, diseases for which there are no cures and which can be spread through the sharing of infected needles.

Supporters have said needle exchange is valuable because it can save lives.

Foes have said allowing needle exchange risks making the city a haven for drug addicts who know they can get needles to shoot up heroin.

Councilor at Large Aaron M. Vega filed an order to have the city establish a program for veterans similar to one in which residents who are 60 or older work for the city in various capacities in return for a property tax reduction.

"Our veterans have given so much on behalf of all citizens in order to serve their country," Morse said in a press release. "The least we as citizens can do in return is to support any reasonable assistance that we can offer to help our service women and men."

“This program is perfect for Holyoke in that there is a zero impact to the bottom line. The community gets volunteer hours from its veterans and is able to absorb this cost in the abatement overlay account,” Lumbra said in a press release.

The council agenda could get even longer. At least two late-filed orders have been added to the 123 on the agenda that was established Friday and more could come if the council votes to accept late-filed orders.